


Matchmaker

by mrs_leary (julie)



Category: Merlin (TV) RPF
Genre: Friends to Lovers, Misunderstandings, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-05
Updated: 2019-05-05
Packaged: 2020-02-26 20:55:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,279
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18724828
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/julie/pseuds/mrs_leary
Summary: As theMerlincast grows, Colin and Bradley drift apart. Rupert decides it's time to get them back together again - and this time as more than friends.





	Matchmaker

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the **Merlin RPF Promptacular Fest of 2019**.

# Matchmaker 

♦

♦

“No, I’m happy for Bradley,” Colin explained very earnestly. “We had a lot o’ fun hangin’ out, back when it was just the two of us –”

Rupert agreed with a nod. “I saw some of the video diaries.”

“– but now he doesn’t have to rely on me all the time. He’s better off.”

“D’you think so?” It was a rhetorical question, and they both knew it, despite Rupert projecting his best ‘warm concern’. 

“ _You’re_ enjoying yourself, aren’t you, Rupert?”

“Oh, yes. Absolutely!” 

Which was true – it was a great team, a happy set – but Rupert sighed, and they both lapsed into a thoughtful silence.

♦

Bradley was just as sincere, when Rupert caught up with him later that afternoon. “No, I love having all the guys on board. All the knights!”

“And you’re our king!” Rupert declared. 

He flushed a little and looked away, but then Bradley stoutly continued, “It’s a _round_ table, remember? We have fun together, all the knights. And that’s wonderful.”

“It _is_ wonderful. But you have to know we’d all follow you anywhere.”

Bradley manfully ignored this, and his expression turned a bit worried. “I just hope he doesn’t feel like he’s missing out.”

Rupert shook his head. “I’m pretty sure Colin’s fine, Bradley. He’s fine with things as they are. He’s the sort of person who likes having a bit of time to himself.”

“All right.” Bradley was gazing at him very directly. “I trust your judgement on that, Rupert. You’re a very perceptive person.”

“Mmm … not _entirely_ sure about that …” He delivered this in his finely tuned ‘quibbling’ manner, but Bradley just laughed as if he assumed Rupert was joking.

Which he wasn’t at all. Rupert had decided he wasn’t entirely sure about quite a few things by now.

♦

“No, you’re right, I’m not the most sociable creature,” Colin agreed. “Not 24/7, anyway. _You_ understand that, Rupert.”

“Yes,” he responded reassuringly. “Yes, of course. No one expects you to –”

“That’s not to say I don’t appreciate having friends to hang out with.” Colin nodded to indicate that something significant was being conveyed. “I like having a friend – a good friend – to talk with –”

“Of course,” Rupert replied. “Who doesn’t?”

“Bradley was definitely that for a while, but –” Colin’s eyes were nigh on _imploring_. 

“I know,” Rupert soothed. “I know.”

“You understand, then.” And Colin sounded so certain about that.

♦

“No, things definitely change,” Bradley concluded in tones burdened by philosophy.

Rupert agreed. “Things evolve,” he offered. 

That bright blue gaze shot to meet his. “Yes! Yes, exactly. _Feelings_ ,” said Bradley, “evolve.”

He didn’t dare respond verbally to that, so Rupert nodded. And then he nodded some more while Bradley watched him. 

“You understand, don’t you?” Bradley said, low and intense.

“Yes,” Rupert was forced to admit, his throat tight with tension now. He’d have to go warm up his voice again, relax his vocal cords, before they were due to film the next scenes. 

And then he’d have to figure out what to do about all this. Not that the obvious idea hadn’t already occurred to him. This didn’t come naturally to Rupert, but it seemed it was time to play matchmaker. 

♦

“No, a date, really?” Colin was protesting under his breath, though he was following Rupert along the narrow corridor readily enough. The identical hotel room doors strode past them, facing each other pair by pair. “A first date after all this time?”

“You weren’t expecting –” Rupert glanced back over his shoulder – and was infinitely reassured by Colin’s surprisingly gentle smile. 

And then Colin reached to slide his hand into Rupert’s, as if needing that connection, that sense of trust, that reminder of friendship. “No, I wasn’t expecting. But I’m glad.”

Rupert nodded, and led the way onwards. 

Eventually they reached the required door, which had been left unlocked deliberately. By arrangement. Rupert tapped quietly, and then led the way in without waiting for a response. 

Bradley’s beautiful big grin met him, so engaging, so delightful. Rupert could never help responding in kind. 

But then Bradley’s grin faltered – and Colin, still holding Rupert’s hand, stepped up beside him, saw Bradley and blurted, “What?” – while Bradley frowned in confusion and started saying, “I thought that –”

“Sorry,” Rupert briskly interrupted before anyone could try to wriggle out of the situation. “I’m sure this feels a bit … confronting. But the two of you do nothing but talk about each other. And the way things used to be. I figured you’re overdue for a date.”

The two of them – Colin and Bradley – just stared at each other, apparently gobsmacked. Which wasn’t quite what Rupert had expected, but no doubt things had been a lot less clear to the two people stuck in the middle of it than to an observant outsider. 

“Look,” said Rupert, trying to free his hand from Colin’s. “I’m going to leave you both to sort it out from here. But trust me on this: you can trust each other. Honestly. With everything.”

Colin’s grip remained firm, which surprised Rupert. Even with those few people closest to him, Colin was rarely physically demonstrative. 

Bradley shook his head, and finally broke away from their mutual gaze. “No, I never meant –” He paused for a moment, and then shot a pleading look at Colin. “I’m sorry, Colin, but there’s been a misunderstanding.”

“Yeah,” said Colin roughly, “I got that.”

“You see,” Bradley explained, “I thought the date was with – with Rupert.” 

That sky blue gaze lit into Rupert again – he felt it like a blow to the heart. And then Colin’s ocean blue gaze sank into him as well.

“I thought so, too,” said Colin.

“No,” Rupert protested, though he barely had the breath for it. “No, you were always talking about … about how you missed each other, how you worried about whether …”

Colin’s beautiful mouth had twitched into a grin. “I think the pertinent point is that I was talking with _you_.”

Bradley nodded. “Same.”

“Oh,” said Rupert. He was already trying to factor in this new perspective on a whole lot of things that he’d thought he’d known for sure, though he figured it would take him a while to adjust. In the meantime, he couldn’t deny he was unbearably flattered. And beyond that, he was moved. He was actually deeply moved. “Oh, so …” he managed to stutter.

“Where does that leave us?” Bradley asked, in surprisingly reasonable tones. 

“Well, I can share if you can,” Colin answered him, surprisingly directly. Surprisingly wickedly!

“For today, at least,” Bradley agreed.

“Aye. Tomorrow can take care of itself.”

“In the meantime …” Bradley was stalking closer, while Colin tugged Rupert over to sit down beside him on the foot of the bed. “There’s definitely enough of him to go around, after all.”

“Mmm …” Colin murmured, slowly leaning in to offer a kiss – giving Rupert plenty of time to protest or pull away, but why on earth would he want to do that? Colin Morgan was pressing his mouth to Rupert’s and gently blessing him, while Bradley James knelt on the floor between his thighs and wrapped his hands around Rupert’s hips, promising all kinds of deliciousness. 

When Colin pulled away a little, Bradley pushed up tall to pick up the kiss precisely where Colin had left off. And so the two of them went on, taking turns in seducing Rupert just as beautifully, as instinctively, as intelligently as they’d worked together over the years.

This wasn’t anything like how Rupert had imagined the date would go that day, but he couldn’t deny he was loving it. This might be their first date, the three of them. Rupert was already praying it wouldn’t be their last.

♦


End file.
